Door handling devices



2 Sheets-Sham'l 1L DOOR HANDLING DEVICES www., lill` Filed Oct.

Mmm mw w56 JJ'. mmm-'om DOOR HANDLING DEVICES Filed Oct. 26, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent O DOOR HANDLING DEVICES James T. Lunsford, Fort Worth, Tex.

Application October 26, 1955, Serial No. 542,846 7 Claims. (ci. 294-14) This Iinvention relates to door handling devices and primarily to such devices to be used in applying doors to railway box cars and in removing doors from such oars.

The application and removal of box car doors has presented a serious problem for many years to the employees of the car departments of the railroads. The make-shift exped-ients to which resort has heretofore been had have been ineifective, have materially increased the time required in handling the doors and, of far greater consequence, have been the cause of serious personal injuries. This problem is, moreover, complicate-d by the fact that box car doors are not of the same width.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide door hand-ling devices of such construction that the personal safety hazar-d noted above sha1-l be eliminated.

A further object is to provide door handling devices which shall substantially reduce the time consumed and the number of men required `to handle the doors.

A further object is to provide door handling devices so constructed as to be able to handle doors of different widths with equal facility. j t

A further object is to provide door handling devices which shall be simple,` inexpensive and of sturdy construction.

Other objects of the invention will become clear as the description thereof proceeds. p p

In the drawings forming part of this speciiication:

Fig. l is'an elevation showing a box car `door handling device embodying the instant invention and its relation* ship to a door indicated in outline by dot and dash lines.

Fig. 2 is an elevation showing a modified form of yoke for the door handling devices.

Fig. 3 is an elevation of a further embodiment of `a yoke for the door handlin-g devices. 1 l

Fig 4 is a horizontal section taken on line 4 4 of Fig. l.

Fig. 45 is a verticalv section taken on line 5--5 of Fig. l.

Fig."6 is a horizontal section taken on line 6 6 of Fig. 2p.

` Fig. 7 is a front elevation of one of the hooks of the `door handling devices.

Fig. 8 is an end elevation shown in Fig. 7. j

Fig. 9 is a front elevation of another hook of the door handling devices.

Fig. l is an end elevation partly in section of the hook shown in Fig. 9.

Referring first to the embodiment of the invention ilpartly in section ofthe hook lustrated in Figs. l, 4, 5, and 7-10, inclusive, the numeral` 10 designates in its entirety the yoke of a door sling embodying `the instant invention. As illustrated in these views the yoke lil is formed of two concavely curved 4angle. members 1l and 12. As iormed the angle mem-- bers 11 and 12 provide substantially vertical portions 13 and 1 4 and substantially horizontal portions 15 and 16. The angle members 11` and 12 are so arranged that their apexes are remote fromeachA other and their legs 17 and 18 and 19 and 20 are directed toward each other.` The disposition of the angle members 11 and 12 is such as to provide a substantially vertical tubular section 21 as shown more clearly in Fig. 5 of the drawings. The adjacent edges of the legs 17 and 18 and 19 and 20 are welded together as shown at 22 and 23.

An angle member 24 spans the horizontal portions 15 and 16 of the angle members 11 and 12. The angle member 24 is arranged so that its legs 25 and 26 are directed toward the legs of the horizontal portions 15 and 16 of the angle membersll and 12 t-o which they are secured by means of welding as shown at 27 and 28. The arrangement between the legs of the horizontal portions 15 and 16 of the angle members 11 and 12 and the legs 25 and 26 of the angle member 24 is such as to form a tubular section as shown more clearly in Fig. 4 of the drawings.

The sling of the instant embodiment of the invention also embodies flexible members 29 and 30 which preferably are in the form of wire rope. The wire rope 29 extends through the tubular section formed by the substantially horizontal portion 15 of the angle member 11 and the angle member 24 and then through the substantially vertical tubular section formed by the angle members 11 and 12. A-t one end the wire rope Z9 carries a hook 31 while the other end of the wire rope 29 which extends from the tubular portion formedby the angle Vmembers 11 and 12 is provided with a thimble 32.

The Wire rope 30 extends through the tubular section lformed by the substantially horizontal portion 16 ofthe angle member 1'2 and the angle member 24. The Wire` rope 30 then extends through the tubular por-tion formed by the angle members 11 and 12. At one end the wire.

rope 30 carries a hook member 33 similar to the hook member V31. A thimble 34 is provided on the other end of the wire rope 30. A hoist engaging ring 35 extends through the thimbles 32 and 34.

A ring 36 is welded to the angle member 24 and serves to` suspend a chain 37. A hook member 38 is adjustably carried by the chain 37. This is accomplished by `forming the hook member 38 with a substantially keyhole-shaped slot 39 `wherebythe hook member 38 may be moved along' `the chain 37 and be selectively engaged with certain ofthe -links of the chain. In this manner the elective length of*` the chain can be varied. t

The relationship of the hereinabove described slingwith a door illustrated in outline only which is to be put onto or removed from a box car is shown in Fig. -l of the drawings. The wire ropes 29 and 30 extend through the substantially horizontal tubular sections so as `to lieI horizontally and obtain secure engagement between the hook members 31 and 33 and the sides of the door. The hook member 3S *carried by the chain 37 has been adjusted so as to engage a handle member 39 which is secured `to `the door. `When the ring 35 is then engaged by a hook from a lifting hoist Ithe door can be applied to or removed from .a box car with ease and `with safety. ABy

the disposition of the yoke below the .top edge of the door` the top portion of the door can without interference befA tween `the sling and the car be disposed under a door retainer customarily used `to guide and retain 4the upper por-` tion ofthe door on the car. Similarly no interference between the sling and the car will occur when the door" is removed .from the car. t

In Fig. l of the drawings the hook member 38 such a handle is not available the hook member 38 can be engaged with the lower edge of the door. t Also this A and 30 the yoke 40 illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings is preferred. The yoke 40 embodies the concavely curved' Patented Nov. 13, 1956 is shown j engaged with a xeddoor hand-le 39. However, where to those skilled in the art.

bers '41 and 42 are interposed betweenl and are welded to the edges of the legs 17 and 1? and 19 and 20 as indicated at 43, 44, 45 and 46. The plates 41 and 42 extend ydownwardly and are welded to the upstanding legs 25 and 260i the angle member 24. Welding of the plate member 42 to the upstanding leg 25 of the angle member 24 is indicated at 47. By this construction the plate members 41 and 42 not'only serve to increase the substantiaily vertical tubular'portionof the'yoke but also substantially reinforce the yoke.VV

Fig. 3 of the drawings disclosesanother form of yoke for use in 'applicants sling particularly adapted for the use of chains in place of the wire ropes 29 and 30. In this embodiment of the invention the yoke E8-is formed o'f two concavely curved pipes 49 and 50 provided with ilared ends S1 rand S2 and 53 and 54. The pipes 49 and 50 are secured together and reinforced by means of Va plate member 55 interposed between the pipes and welded theretoras indicated at 56 and 57. A ring 58 similar to but somewhat larger than the ring 36 is also interposed between the pipes 49 and 50 and is welded Vto these pipes and to the lower edge of the plate member 55 as indicated at'59,-60 and 61.

It will be apparent that numerous changes and modication's'in the details of the invention will be clear It is intended therefore that all such modifications and changes be comprehended within this invention which is to be limited only by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

1 claim: v

1. A handling device for applying or removing box car doors, said device comprising a yoke having a sub- 3. A handling device for applying or removing box car doors, said device comprising a yoke, a tlexible memfrom said yoke, and a door engaging member carried stantially vertical tubular section and oppositely extendf ing substantially horizontal tubular section disposed below said vertical tubular section, a exible member extending slidably through one of said horizontal tubular sections and said vertical tubular section, means on said flexible member adapted to engage one vertical side of a said door, a second ilexible member extending slidably through the other of said horizontal tubular sections and said vertical tubular section, means on said second flexible member, adapted to engage the opposite vertical side of said door, hoist engaging means on said flexible members, a third exible lmember suspended from said yoke, and a door engaging member carried by said third flexible member.

`2. A handling device for applying or removing box i car doors, said device comprising a yoke embodying concavely curved angular members disposed to provide substantially vertical and horizontal portions, the legs of said vertical portions being secured together to form a substantially vertical tubular section, said horizontal portions extending vvin opposite directions, the legs of said horizontal portions extending downwardly, an angular member arranged' with its legs extending upwardly andv secured to said last mentioned legs to provide oppositely extending horizontal tubular sections, a flexible memb er extending slidably through one of said horizontal tubular sections and said vertical tubular section, means on said ilexible member Vadapted to engage one vertical side of a said door, a second exible member extending slidably through the other of said horizontal tubular sections and said vertical tubular section, means on said second flexible memberY adapted to engage the opposite vertical sideV of said door, hoist engaging means on said exible members, a third flexible member suspended from said last mentioned angular member, and a door engaging member carried by said latter llexible member.

by said last mentioned flexible member.

4. A handling device for applying or removing box car doors, said Vdevice comprising a yoke and flexible members adapted to respectively engage the opposite vertical sides of` a saidl door, said yokel having guide portions, one of said guide portions being disposed above the others of said guide portions, said latter guide portions being disposed respectively on opposite sides of said v first mentioned guide portion, each of said tlexible members extending slidably and substantially horizontally through 'its respective offset guide portion and substantially vertically through said first mentioned guide portion, hoist engaging means on said ilexible members, and a third flexible member suspended from said yoke and being adapted to engage said door. y

5. lA vhandling device for applying or removing box car doors, said device comprising a yoke having a substantially vertical tubular section and oppositely extending substantially horizontal tubular sections disposed below saidV vertical tubular section, a ilexible member extendingslidably through one of said horizontal tubular sections v and said vertical tubular section, means on said exible member adapted to engage one vertical side of a said door, a second exible ,member extending slidably through the other of said horizontal tubular sections and said vertical tubular section, means on said second exible member adaptedto engage the opposite vertical side of said door, hoist engaging means on said exible members,

`a third lexible member suspended from said yoke, andV a door engaging member carried by said third exible member, said latter door engaging member being adjust-` able along said last mentioned flexible member.

6. A handling device for applying or removing box carv doors, said device comprising a yoke embodying concavely curved angular members disposed to providel members extending Vdownwardly and.. being secured to` said legs of said last mentioned angular member, a flexible member extending slidably through one of Vsaid horizontal tubular sections and, said vertical tubular section, means on said flexible member adapted to engage one vertical side of a said door, a second flexible memberrextending slidably through the other of said horizontal tubular sections and said vertical tubular section, means onV said second ilexible vmember adapted to engage the opposite vvertical side ofsaid door,.hoist engaging means on said exible members, a third flexible member suspended from said last ,mentioned angular member, and a door engaging member carried by said latter flexible member. l

Y 7. A handling device for applying or removing box car doors,VV said device comprisinga yoke embodying concavely curved tubular members, a platemember extending between and secured to said tubular members, a supporting member secured to said tubular members Y and said plate member, a flexible member extending 2,770,484 5 6 on said flexible members adapted to respectively engage References Cited inthe le of this patent the opposite vertical sides of a said door, hoist engaging UNITED STATES PATENTS means on said exible members, a flexible member suspended from said supporting member, and a door enyllrsrils b 'db 'dltt 'bl b. 6 gagmg mem er Carne Y Sal a el' 6X1 e mem er 1,184,891 Sunderland May 30, 1916 

